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Large goods vehicle
A large goods vehicle (also LGV, formerly and informally heavy goods vehicle or HGV), is the European Union term for goods motor vehicles (i.e. trucks / lorries) with a maximum allowed mass (MAM) or gross combination mass (GCM) of over . There are two sub-categories: N2 for vehicles up to and N3 for all other LGVs. Driver's licencing European Union In the European Union, the LGV driver's licence is divided into four categories: ;Category C1: effectively the new HGV Class 3 in the UK, the old HGV Class 3 being any two-axle goods vehicle over 7.5 tonnes - ; allows the holder to drive a vehicle with a maximum authorised mass (gross vehicle weight) between 3.5 tonnes to 7.5 tonnes ( ) with a trailer up to maximum authorised mass. This licence can be obtained at 18 years of age. ;Category C1+E: allows the holder to drive a vehicle with a maximum authorised mass (gross vehicle weight) between 3.5 tonnes - 7.5 tonnes ( ) with a trailer over maximum authorised mass, provided that the maximum authorised mass of the trailer does not exceed the unladen mass of the vehicle being driven, and the combined maximum authorised mass of both the vehicle and trailer does not exceed 12 tonnes ( ). ::Example: A vehicle with an unladen mass of , and a MAM of , with a trailer MAM of will give a combined MAM of - but the Unladen Mass of the vehicle being driven (2650 kg) is greater than the MAM of the trailer (2200 kg) so is acceptable. However, a vehicle with an unladen mass of 2650 kg and a MAM of 4005 kg, with a trailer MAM of will give a combined MAM of - but because the MAM of the trailer (2700 kg) exceeds the Unladen Weight of the vehicle being driven (2650 kg), you would need a Category C+E licence to drive that vehicle. ;Category C: effectively the new HGV Class 2 in the UK, the old HGV Class 2 being any rigid goods vehicle with more than two axles; allows the holder to drive a vehicle weighing over 3.5 tonnes ( ) with a trailer up to maximum authorised mass. ;Category C+E: the new Class 1; allows the holder to drive a vehicle weighing over 3.5 tonnes ( ) with a trailer over maximum authorised mass. This licence could only be obtained after 6 months experience of a Class 2 truck, but more recently the law has changed to the effect that you can now do back to back tests, i.e. Category C first then C+E the following week. UK Drivers who passed a Category B (car) test before 1 January 1997, will have received Categories C1 and C1+E (Restriction Code 107: not more than ) through the Implied Rights issued by the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) (more commonly known as Grandfather Rights). Canada In Canada's province of Ontario, drivers holding a Class A licence can drive tractor-trailers where the gross weight of the towed vehicle exceeds 4.6 tonnes ( ). Drivers holding a Class B (school bus), C (regular bus) or D (heavy truck) licence can drive trucks weighing 11 tonnes ( ), with the towed vehicle weighing a maximum of 4.6 tonnes (Ibid.). See also *Commercial vehicle *Light commercial vehicle *Light truck *Longer Heavier Vehicle References External links *88/77/EEC *Ontario Ministry of Transportation, Licence Types Category:Vehicles